Beyond the Ever After
by exDerelict
Summary: Rumors are flying in the kingdom of Arendelle as a new child is born into the royal family, and former passions are revisited between Elsa and Anna. [Elsanna / some Kristanna]
1. Chapter 1

**Beyond the Ever After**

**A/N: **I have done some minor editing and revising. This is My first Frozen fanfic. Although it does contain some Kristanna, this is largely an Elsanna fic, meaning that it contains romantic situations between blood-related sisters. Don't wanna read that? I suggest you leave now.

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She grunted, choking back sobs as she gripped the bed sheets. The pain was different now, amplified as her body stretched and a force pushed through her.

"You're almost there, Anna," her sister soothed, wiping a dry cloth along her sweat-beaded brow and padding the moisture from her wet mangled hair.

"One more push, your Highness," the midwife instructed as she held Anna's legs firmly apart, but the princess was no longer listening; she had given in to her cries, sobbing wretchedly as her face burned bright red. The midwife's young assistant looked on, clearly distressed by the princess's anguish.

"Anna." Elsa gently nudged her sister and pressed a cool hand along her cheek. "You need to push one more time, Anna." The princess was relaxed by the cool touch and her sobs slowly subsided.

"Just one more time, Elsa?" her voice cracked just audibly.

"Just once more."

Anna leaned against her sister's cool hand, closing her eyes.

"Hold my hand," she murmured, reaching toward the queen's free arm.

Elsa took her hand and slid onto the bed beside her. She exchanged a meaningful look with the midwife and closed her eyes, encouraging her to proceed.

"Your Highness, you're going to need to hold this one, okay? When you start pushing, you don't stop until the end."

She nodded, gripping the queen's hand tighter.

"Okay, here we go. Push!"

Anna grit her teeth and pushed, her eyes squeezed shut and her fists clenched, her nails cutting into her sister's hand. Perspiration beaded down her face and her body trembled.

"I can't," she cried, feeling her efforts weaken. "Elsa, I can't do this anymore."

"You can, Anna" the queen replied, unaffected by the nails that cut through her hand. "You _are!"_

"Almost there!" the midwife informed as she readied her hands for what came next. But Anna didn't need to be informed, her body was already telling her as much. She could feel it coming, tearing through her weakened and tender flesh. A scream briefly jarred her from the moment, until she realized it was her own, but her sister's voice grounded her, tickling her ear with warm breath as she urged her on with soft words. Anna pushed and pushed, and just when she thought she could no more, a second current of strength compelled further.

"No more!" she screamed, releasing Elsa's hand and dropped back against the pillow as her strength finally abandoned her. _No more._

But there was no more need to keep going. The midwife lifted a bright red baby and quickly suctioned the mucus from the mouth and nose. Within moments, the infant's first cries filled the princess's chambers.

"Oh, Anna," her sister cried. "She's beautiful."

_A girl._

Elsa squeezed her hand but Anna was too exhausted to respond. She struggled to open her eyes. Her labored breathing had subsided but the pains of labor had left her sore and drained. Sleep was sweeping over her but she fought against it, the occasion too important to miss.

The queen walked over to the midwife and watched as the old woman checked the infants' vitals and clipped the umbilical cord, and then, with a warm damp cloth, began to wipe the blood off the her tender body.

"May I?" The queen asked hesitantly. The midwife glanced over to the fatigued princess for consent, uncertain how to address her queen's request.

"It's okay," Anna replied, soothing the panicked midwife with a weary smile.

While the midwife's assistant attended to Anna, Elsa took the damp cloth from the midwife's hands and gently wiped the baby clean. She wiped cautiously at first, unsure just how frail newborns were, but she quickly got her bearings under the instruction of the old woman. The hair was trickier, but when she finished the newborn's wispy silvery blonde hair was hardly visible against her pink complexion.

With the midwife's help, the queen wrapped a small yellow blanket around the infant and held her in her arms. The newborn's cries abated as she curled in Elsa's arms against her chest and opened her eyes for the first time. Elsa felt a hitch in her throat as the lovely specimen stared back at her with inquisitive eyes.

"Can I see her?"

The queen tore her eyes from the infant's face, sheepishly making her way to Anna as the princess found the strength to sit up in her bed.

"Midwife, can you give her a hand?" The queen requested as she was unable, her arms already occupied. The midwife and her assistant adjusted several pillows against the backboard and helped the princess settle comfortably against them before the queen carefully placed the child in Anna's arms. She beamed, exhaustion quickly giving way to her newfound delight.

"She's got a bit of a pointy head!" Anna gushed, chuckling softly. "Just look at her, Elsa."

The queen sat beside her and gently ran her fingers on the infants pointed head.

"Ah, that'll go away," the midwife interjected. "Newborns get that from the stress of birth."

Anna nodded but nevertheless seemed unbothered by whether her child's head would take shape or not. "But she's healthy, right?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Perfectly healthy."

The princess smiled and pressed a kiss on her infant's forehead. The queen signaled the midwife and her assistant for privacy and the two quickly left, bowing as their queen silently thanked them.

"I can't believe how much she looks like you," Anna remarked, caressing the baby's cheek.

"You think?"

"Just look at her hair. And her eyes. She looks so much like you and mother." She laughed. "Kristoff is gonna be so jealous."

The queen smiled, but she couldn't imagine her brother-in-law taking any offense to the newborn's strong royal genetics.

"I don't think you'll have anything to worry about," Elsa needlessly assured. "Just one look at this little creature and he will be completely enthralled."

"Yes," Anna replied, just as smitten. "Yes, he will."

Watching them, Elsa fought back the small thread of jealously that had sewn its way into her heart. It was a tiny thing, a stitch really, but that stitch envied Kristoff for all the things she shouldn't want.

"And don't worry about Kristoff," the queen added. "I sent for him as soon as you went into labor."

In the days leading up to their first child's birth, Kristoff had grown anxious and overly attentive to Anna. She was touched, at first. But when her due date passed and the baby still had not come, Kristoff became unbearable. Anna couldn't find a moment's peace with his constant attention and tireless scrutiny of her body's every little hiccup and spasm.

Then yesterday, after he insisted on accompanying her into the bathroom despite her protests, she decided she'd had enough and sent him on a fool's errand.

_"A golden flower?"_

_ "Yes, that's what the physician said."_

_ Kristoff looked at her suspiciously._

_ "And that will help ease your labor?"_

_ "Yup," she replied glibly. "Guaranteed to have a complication-free childbirth."_

_ "Oh, I suppose I could ask Grand Pabbie about it." He'd contemplated. "I just don't want to leave you all alone. What if the baby comes when I –"_

_ "Please, Kristoff. It'll be fine. And don't worry, I won't be alone."_

Anna had been right about that that last part. Elsa had been with her through every step of her labor, coaching her and holding her hand, unfortunately Kristoff had missed it all. He was bound to be disappointed, that much was clear to her, but he wouldn't dwell on it for too long.

"It's okay," she assured her. "I'm not worried. I'm just glad you're here."

She squeezed Elsa's hand for good measure.

"And so is this little one," Anna cooed softly at the child.

The queen smiled warmly.

"And does this 'little one' have a name?"

The princess scrunched up her face in thought as she glanced between the infant and the queen. Elsa raised her brows, surprised that her sister seemed to be so deeply contemplating what the queen had imagined to be a very simple and straight forward question.

"Anna?"

The princess looked hesitant.

"We wanted Kristopher for a boy" she replied.

"And for a girl?"

Anna bit her lip. "Krisanna?"

"You can't be serious."

"Yes? No? I don't know," Anna fidgeted nervously with the infant's blanket. "We sort of joked about it. Combining couples' names is sort of the rage right now, so we figured…but it's not like we were serious. We just really thought it was going to be a boy."

Elsa couldn't deny her amusement, but there was no way she was going to allow her sister to brand the child with such an embarrassing name.

"And where did you get that idea?"

"Pabbie."

The queen chuckled softly and affectionately ran her fingers through Anna's matted bangs, carefully smoothing them out and brushing them to the side.

"But I don't think it matters anymore," Anna went on, relaxing under her sister's warm ministrations. "Especially now that she's here. Any name we would've come up with wouldn't have worked. I think –"

But before Anna could finish her train of thought, a loud ruckus coming from the hallway distracted both women. As the ruckus got closer, the frantic voices of the midwife and her assistant chorused in objection and then the chamber door swung open loudly with a crack as Kristoff and Sven burst through. The new royal quickly dismounted, his clothes soiled with dirt and sweat from the frenzied journey back. He took no more than two steps before the midwife tackled him to the ground.

"No, means no!" she huffed as she successfully overpowered the brawn mountain man. "And you too!" She scolded the reindeer. "Out!"

Sven backed out of the princess' chambers, his eyes wide with fear. Then she pulled Kristoff up to his feet, his arms stretched painfully behind his back. "And you," she began, twisting the man's arm for good measure. "You're not getting near that child until you've cleaned yourself up."

Before Kristoff could protest, the midwife dragged him out the room and closed the door behind her. It was only now that Anna realized that Elsa had erected a pane of ice around them, her fist clenched white and trembling. The queen, embarrassed by her drastic measures, quickly dematerialized the icy shield, and the startled infant, stunned by the commotion that had transpired just moments ago, overwhelmed the room with her fevered cries.

~X~

They both agree that Krisanna would be a terrible name. Kristoff was still coming to terms with the fact that Grand Pabbie had been wrong about the baby's sex. And like Elsa predicted, the fact that the child didn't look much like him didn't bother him at all.

"I guess there are just some things that love experts can't predict," he mused. When Grand Pabbie had informed him that the first child he fathered would most definitely be a son, Kristoff went on a shopping spree. The baby's room was painted blue and papered with pictures of ships and anchors. The closet was stuffed full with mini sailor outfits and tuxes, traditional vests, and mini 'mountain man' jammies to match with Kristoff's.

He supposed it could have been worse. An image of a burly mountain baby boy in a frilly pink dress quickly came to mind.

"I'm glad she doesn't look like me," he declared. "She'd be miserable as a burly mountain princess."

"Oh, I wouldn't mind," Anna protested, but she was already falling in love with her newborn's features; her inquisitive azure blue eyes and button nose that reminded her so much of Elsa and their mother, and her downy silvery blonde hair that curled up at the tips. Her flushed skin was already beginning to pale to a more natural complexion.

"Is she really gonna grow out of that cone head?"

"Oh, stop it. She's adorable."

"I know, I know," he held up his hands jokingly before returning his attention to the infant nestled in her arms. "But seriously, what are we gonna call her?"

Anna bit her lip, hesitant to answer.

"What about Irene?" Krisoff suggested. "After your mom? I supposed she _could_ look like an Irene." He leaned over to the baby "What do _you_ say kiddo?"

But the newborn looked bored and yawned before she closed her eyes.

"A 'No go', huh?" He ran a thumb over her little cone-shaped head, wondering if her future would be one filled with hats.

"Stop that!" Anna scolded gently. "I know what you're thinking."

"Well then, what do you think? Does she look like an Irene to you?"

"Else."

"Hmm?

"I think she looks like an Else."

Else, Elsa. There was no difference in the pronunciation.

Kristoff nodded. "I think you're right."

"Else," he contemplated aloud, and then turning to the sleeping infant he called the name once more. "Else?"

The newborn slowly opened her eyes, clearly annoyed by the disturbance.

"Else, huh?" A grin slowly formed on Kristoff's face. "Your sister's gonna be so embarrassed! Mind if I get to be the one to tell her?"

Anna rolled her eyes.

~X~

When Anna had first announced her engagement to Kristoff, the queen was tempted to object. The two had been dating for nearly a year, and although significantly longer than her courtship with Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, Elsa was convinced that Anna was simply too young.

_And unworldly._

The queen had wanted Anna to experience more of the world before settling down, and had intended on sending her abroad to spend a few months with their aunt and uncle in Corona, and maybe after to their ancestral home in Scotland. She was certain that Anna's wild spirit would certainly have no objection to that. The girls had reconnected over the past year, but Elsa had wanted some more time with Anna before sailing her off to enjoy the world. But when Anna resolutely announced her engagement, Elsa could not compel herself to say no.

She had still hoped Anna could make good use of her youth and 'sow' her 'royal oats', although perhaps in more chaste fashion. Even engaged, the princess wouldn't have to settle down for a few more years. But Anna had no intention of waiting with a long engagement. She insisted on being married within the month. That's when the rumors of 'Shotgun' weddings and illicit love affairs began to circulate throughout Arendelle.

Elsa could not bring herself to ask, too afraid of her sister's reply. But the thought of it continued to irk her and her affection for Kristoff quickly dispelled. Everything seemed fine on the surface, Anna's unbridled laughter continued to resonate cheerfully within the castle walls, but she would only engage in terse responses when questions of her abrupt engagement would arise.

Their uncle, the esteemed King Claudius of Corona, had insisted on a pre-wedding celebration for Anna. "We need to celebrate this great news!" He'd exclaimed drunkenly when they broke news of the engagement during an intimate family dinner. Kristoff sat rigidly next to Anna, uncomfortably dressed in coattails and clearly wishing he were anywhere else.

"We'll throw a pre-wedding Gala in your honor," he decided, holding up a topped glass of red wine with as much majesty as a sailor. Wine spilled over as he took his drink, spattering over the white tablecloth. Queen Isabella sighed, taking the glass from the flushed king. Rapunzel looked away, embarrassed, while Eugene grinned in amusement. Anna looked just as amused and stifled a laugh, while Kristoff offered his best wooden smile.

"I'm not sure that will be necessary," Elsa interjected. "The wedding's in less than a month. We'll barely have time for those preparations."

A brief silence fell over the table before their aunt Isabella expressed her disapproval. "That's just too soon, dears. Rapunzel's wedding dress took four months alone to make. I can't imagine what sort of festivities a month of planning will yield."

"It's okay Aunt Isabella," Anna replied. "We're just really excited to be married soon. Everything else is just window dressing."

"But you're so young!" their uncle cried out. "You should be enjoying the romance of youth, sowing wild oats! You should give it a few more years before you marry and start having—" He paused, the wheels in his head turning. "Wait, you're not preg—"

"Okay! I think it's off to bed for us," Aunt Isabella interceded as she quickly rose to her feet and took her husband by the hand. "If you will excuse us," she nodded apologetically to Anna and Elsa and smiled sympathetically at the unsettled groom before she dragged her husband away.

"And don't worry about the Gala," their uncle called out before he disappeared out of the dining room. "We'll take care of it."

Once the King and Queen were out of sight, their red-faced cousin looked up to her hosts and apologized emphatically. "He usually doesn't drink this much, really. I just hope he didn't overstep...he tends to do that."

~X~

The Gala was much grander than Elsa had expected. Despite their aunt's claims that a month didn't allot enough time to plan much of anything, the pre-wedding party was impressively lavish, from the floral arrangements to the first rate cuisine. And despite the short notice, the Gala itself was not short on guests. Delegates from all their allied kingdoms had come to represent and likely to get their first glimpse of the Mountain man who had possibly compromised the virtue of the young Arendelle princess.

The rumors of a shotgun wedding had already spread outside the castle walls and Elsa had come nowhere near asking her sister of the validity of these whispers. What bothered Elsa more was the fact that Anna seemed to be oblivious to the gossip, and Anna was certainly not that naïve. Even Kristoff was not blind to the whisperings. He'd already heard of the betting pool among some of the locals; people placing scandalous bets on how soon after their marriage Anna would give birth.

The queen had kept an eye on the princess all evening, looking for any answers in the smallest of details. Anna's slender waist gave nothing away, and Elsa assumed that it would be too soon anyway if she was still early on. Her breasts seemed no different. Though small, they were full and pert, nicely accenting her petite girlish figure. _I could easily cup them in my hands_, she thought fleetingly as the champagne warmed her cheeks before mentally chastising herself.

"It must be hard for you," a man's voice deduced as footsteps approached from behind. "Watching her slip away."

Elsa stiffened and she struggled not to expose her alarm, instead taking a moment to recompose herself before turning to face the stranger. It surprised her to find no trace of haughtiness or malice on his face. He was actually rather attractive, his dark complexion complemented by playful brown eyes, with short dark hair that curled over his forehead.

"I understand you two are quite close?" He smiled warmly, a gleam of boyish playfulness in his eyes.

"Yes," she replied, a little unnerved by the stranger.

Reading her unease, the man quickly scrambled for his manners and bowed respectfully.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty. I should have introduced myself," he paused before taking her hand and cupping it in his. "I am the not-so-esteemed Prince Naveen of Maldonia."

The prince bowed once more, this time pulling her hand to his lips and smiling coyly.

_Well, he certainly is…charming, _she mused.

Cupping her hand once more in a tender caress he took a half step closer before he let her go.

"I have no siblings," the prince revealed. "But I can imagine how hard it must be to see them move on to new lives."

The queen was speechless, taken back by the prince's complete disregard for her personal space.

"Perhaps, we could go somewhere and talk?" He implored. "Privately?"

It was only when he pressed his hand upon her face that Elsa pulled back and regained her senses. She had been completely caught off guard by the playboy prince and could not find the words or the social etiquette to articulate her disinterest. Come ons by international playboys were not something that normally happened to the Icy Queen of Arendelle and so she had no point for reference.

"I, I, um," the flushed queen stammered. "I'm gonna _go_."

And she turned away without waiting for the prince's reply, seeking refuge outside the ballroom walls.

Across the dance floor, Princess Anna stared in surprise as her sister whisked out of the Gala, the queen's face unmistakably burning red.

~X~

She'd made it as far as the library when she heard a voice call out her name.

_Oh God, no! He didn't follow me, did he?_

Thinking quick on her feet, she hid herself behind the nearest pillar and peered nervously toward the entrance of the library.

"Elsa?" It was not the voice she had expected. Soft and girlish, with a musical timbre. Elsa slowly stepped from behind the pillar and into the openness of the candlelit library.

"Anna?"

Her sister's delicate frame peered from the entrance, cast in a shadow as she leaned against the doorway, struggling to catch her breath.

"Elsa, are you there?"

"I'm right, here," she answered stepping into the low light that illuminated the center of the room. This was her chance to get things out in the open, she realized, her nervous energy returning.

Anna made her way slowly into the room, the light casting the shadows away, and magnifying the red hues of her honey blonde hair. Elsa intended to meet her sister half way but stopped when she took notice of the princess' somber expression.

"Anna, what's wrong?"

The princess halted.

"I saw what happened in the ballroom," she replied.

_Oh, that._

Elsa laughed sheepishly.

"I must've looked like some inexperience school girl."

Anna, however, made no sound, clearly not amused; her staid expression confusing the young queen.

"An—"

"Do you like him?"

_Do I what?_

"I don't understand. What are you—"

"The prince, Elsa." Anna paused nervously, but went on before she could get a reply. "It surprised me because you've never shown any kind of interest in anyone before."

Another pause.

Her cyan blue eyes gleaned and reflect bits of red from her hair in the candlelight, intensifying her gaze. Elsa felt her tongue go numb as she stared dumbly as her sister.

"You only ever looked at me." Anna moved toward her, closing in on the space between them, and Elsa was captivated by thoughts that usually only came to her in passing. Like the way her freckles trace along the curve of her neck, or how the straps of her dress rest loosely off her shoulders, and the soft curves of her chest just above her bodice... Elsa looks away, ashamed for a moment before meeting Anna's gaze.

"You're misunderstanding something here," Elsa tried to explain, her voice finally making its way back to her. "I'm not in any way involved with the Prince of Maldonia...in anything other than awkward conversation."

"That's not what it looked like."

Anna's prodding was starting to make her angry. She could feel her control begin to waver and her temperature begin to drop.

"And what about you?" Elsa shot back, vehemence seeping in her voice. "What are you hiding?"

"This isn't about me, Elsa," Anna replied, looking away.

"Oh, yes it is!" the queen asserted, taking Anna by the wrists to get her full attention. "Just say it, Anna! Everyone else is already saying it. But I want to hear it from you."

Their faces were just inches apart. Elsa could easily count the lashes in her eyes and feel Anna's warm breath as it caressed her cheeks. She could smell a hint of lavender from her freckled neck.

Anna pulled away, tearing away from the queen's heated stare, her skin burning. Elsa was struck by her own shame, as she noticed how those freckled shoulders slumped slightly and gave way to a small tremble.

"I need to know, Anna," she continued in a much softer tone, reaching a hand to console those delicate shoulders. "You're getting married in two days. Just say it. I'll understand."

She expected Anna to turn around and fall into her arms, weeping, as she affirmed the truth of the circulating rumors. Elsa braced herself, steeled her emotions to mask the disappointment and sorrow that she already felt creeping up on her. What she didn't expect was Anna pressing up against her, gently restraining her wrists behind her as she closed the gap between their lips.

Her eyes widened in shock. Anna's lips felt warm upon her own as they tried to coax a response. Elsa felt an ache build up inside her and her body temperature rose; her flesh grew tender and she felt a startling jolt of nerves as Anna began to draw her hands up the nervous queen's arms, all the while erotically tracing her fingers upon her skin. The sensation was more than she could endure, and a soft moan escaped her. When Anna pulled away, Elsa was flushed and short of breath, her face completely mortified over her honest physical reaction.

"Do you understand now?"

Anna's face was colored by a lustful glow even as she glared at Elsa resentfully.

_For how long? _ She wanted to ask her. _How long have you felt this way? _But her throat was dry and her tongue was useless once again.

Overcome by a sense of humiliation over her newly exposed feelings, the princess retreated further into the library, hoping the darkness could mask her growing shame. She hadn't expected Elsa to follow after her.

She nearly jumped when Elsa touched her bare shoulder.

"It's okay Anna," the queen uttered softly, unable to make out more than her shadow.

"Is it?" the younger girl replied as she turned around.

Elsa didn't speak, instead she reached for her, aiming for her hand, but couldn't find it in the dark.

"I'm right here," Anna said as she grabbed for the queen's waist, and she would have settled in her arms had Anna not stumbled and pulled them both tumbling back. She had expected the hard marble floor on her back, so it surprised the princess that their fall was cut short by a plush sofa. Elsa's petite frame was flush against Anna's now, her face buried in the crook of the princess' neck, and her flesh grew hotter when she realized that the princess' thigh was pressed suggestively between her legs.

They remained still, warming each other with their increasingly labored breath, but even without movement, the pressure between Elsa's legs was slowly mounting. Mumbling an apology to the girl beneath her, the queen shifted, but as she did so Anna also tried to readjust her legs and in doing so, unintentionally thrust harder between the young queen's tenderness.

Elsa gasped, clutching the younger girl's body tighter against her own.

"Anna," the queen murmured, her senses once again overcome by the scent of lavender. Lust and magic stirred inside as her lips made contact with that lovely neck. She traced her lips down her shoulder, suckling and biting down softly when she reached the strap, and realized that she'd been wanting to do that to Anna all night. The princess groaned beneath her as she reached her arms around Elsa then pushed them up and rested them possessively around her neck.

"What are we doing?" Elsa mumbled, tentatively seeking Anna's lips. "We shouldn't be doing this."

"It's okay," Anna replied as she captured the queen's lower lip and suckled tenderly. "Just this one time, just for tonight. And we'll never speak of this again."

~X~

Neither of them ever brought it up. Elsa was Elsa and Anna was Anna, and there were no lingering or heated feelings burning between them. After the wedding, Anna recommitted herself to Kristoff, her feelings for Elsa decidedly purged after a night of passion. The fact that she often went back to that night, while she and her husband made love, didn't really mean anything. And the fact that Elsa continued to express no romantic interest in other men _didn't really_ bring her relief. And _nevermind_ the fact that both were lying to themselves.

The rumors of Anna and Kristoff's shotgun wedding were also dispelled when the smallest Arendelle was born just nine months after their wedding. Even then, new rumors gave rise from whisperings behind closed doors. After all, the problem with feelings contained is that sooner or later they explode.

* * *

**A/N: The last two paragraphs were added to give some kind of closure. I'll be removing them and expanding the story if there is enough interest for me to continue. Also, since Else and Elsa are pronounced exactly the same, I figured the different spelling would help distinguish between the two in any upcoming chapters.  
**

**I'd really like feedback, let me know what worked, what didn't, should I even bother continuing? And if you didn't like it, then some constructive criticism would be nice. Thanks!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Beyond the Ever After**

* * *

**_A/N: _**_I've applied some edits and revisions...particularly in the last section._

**_Special Thanks_**_ to **MaggieMay1991** for her suggestions. If you have an account and you wanna obsess about Elsanna, feel free to stop by ElsannaChat at dA._

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Anna hated the rain.

It had been falling for days, drumming stridently upon the windows, with no sign of it letting up. The clamor kept her up at night, shifting restlessly on her side of the bed while Kristoff slept unperturbed. He hadn't even noticed when Anna had finally kicked away what little of the blankets he had managed to cling onto in his sleep.

She listened to the tick of the clock; silently counting the seconds, hoping sleep would finally take her. But the seconds turned to minutes and before long an hour had passed; her eyes now wide open while the rain persisted even louder against the window pane. Anna released a heavy sigh and, in a wide sweeping gesture, kicked off the blankets and sat up on the edge of the bed. She must've been louder than she realized because she heard a startled sleepy gasp from little Elsie's crib on the other side of the room.

In the three months since Elsie's birth, Anna and Kristoff had suffered through the initiation rites of parenthood, waking frequently throughout the night for diaper changes and feedings. Although, it was mostly Anna who dragged herself from the comfort of their warm bed to sooth the infant's cries; the late night feedings were strictly a mommy thing. But on this night the roles between mother and child were reversed for once.

Anna slid off the bed and quietly made her way to the crib. The baby had already fallen back asleep, her small chest rising and falling with each breath as she lay on her side. Her little blue blanket laid cast aside at her feet, but there was not a tremble to indicate that she had felt its loss. Anna caressed her silvery blonde hair, noting how much thicker it had grown.

"Elsie," Anna whispered as she leaned over the sleeping infant, calling her by the nickname Elsa had bestowed. "Elsie, wake up."

A pair of azure blue eyes opened reluctantly then closed again.

"Stay with me, now," she urged softly as she reached in and scooped the infant into her arms. Elsie scrunched her face and groaned, just moments away from one of her cat-like screams. Suddenly quite panicked, Anna quickly swiped the blanket from the crib and scurried out of the room, closing the door behind them just as the little one's howl filled the corridor.

On the other side of the door, Kristoff stirred slightly but did not wake, trembling as he reached for the blankets.

~X~

Four days ago the sky had given very little indication of rain. The sun bellowed over Arendelle with no more than a few indiscreet wisps of clouds gathering over the fjord. And somewhere in the kingdom, a guileless snowman was taking the time to enjoy the first flowers of early spring. That, however, was not the case for the Queen of Arendelle.

Elsa had awakened early with the day, delighting briefly in a cup of tea before immersing herself into the pile of weekly reports that awaited her in her study. Two hours in and she was distracted yet again by the very thing that had kept her awake for much of the early morning hours.

_It's almost been a year._

A year since Anna and Kristoff's wedding. And a year since that night Elsa and Anna had spent in the library. True to her word, Anna never mentioned it after that night. The moment they had stepped out of that library, the two brief lovers had parted ways, the bride into the arms of her worried bridegroom, and Elsa to the confines of her room, curled up in her armchair seeking respite from her swelling misery.

The month that followed after had been no better. The newlyweds sailed off on their honeymoon while Elsa was left to her recurring memories of that night, regret mounting with each remembered touch. She hated that she knew how Anna liked to be touched, and that Kristoff now knew it too. And she had wondered if Anna felt the same self-loathing that twisted up inside her.

Elsa closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the surface of the desk, allowing herself a moment to surrender to those feelings she had pristinely sealed away. Or so she had believed.

_If only it had never happened._

It was impossible of course. If words alone were nearly impossible to retract, what hope did she have for that night?

Before she could dwell on it further, a light rap on the door brought her back to the present.

"Elsa?" A familiar deep-set voice inquired hesitantly from the other side of the door.

She sat up straight, smoothing her disheveled bangs back into place and shuffled through the reports in front of her in an effort to appear busy, a part of her fearing that her face would somehow give away what she had been thinking.

"Come in, Kristoff," she answered.

The door cracked open slowly before Kristoff peered his head inside.

"It's okay, I won't bite." She jested, gesturing him into the study.

He nodded and awkwardly squeezed through the narrowly opened door, as if opening it further would somehow break it off its hinges. He was dressed comfortably in a Klondike vest with a red-on-black design and a white long-sleeved shirt which he had decidedly not tucked into his trousers. Elsa noted how much more relaxed he was in his gentleman's attire than he'd been at the beginning.

"You're busy," he observed, his attention drawn to the crinkled report in her hands.

"Not that busy," she replied decisively, casting the document aside and all pretense with it, then regarded him with an expectant look.

"I've been looking for Anna," he explained self-consciously.

Elsa raised her brows, although her expression remained largely neutral.

"Well, she's not here," she stated the obvious. There was nothing particularly cold or alienating in her countenance, but Kristoff couldn't shake the feeling that she didn't hold him in very high esteem.

He chuckled anxiously and shook his head apologetically.

"Sorry, that's not what I meant. I, well, the thing is, you see…Anna's been a little distant lately."

"Oh."

He wavered, noting the discomfort in Elsa's eyes, and suddenly realized that relating intimate details about his marriage to the Queen of Arendelle was probably crossing the line of appropriate behavior. Never mind that she was also his wife's sister.

"I'm sorry," he apologized again. "I'm probably way out of line for bringing this up with you. I should go." He retreated, embarrassed by his impudence.

He hadn't made it to the door when his sister-in-law stopped him.

"It's okay, Kristoff. Take a seat."

She couldn't say what made her say it or why she felt compelled to keep him in her company. Maybe it was the defeated look on his face or his awkward attempt to open up to her. Or maybe she was just a masochist.

"You sure?"

"Yes," she conceded, masking her reluctance.

He gave her a lopsided smile.

"So, why do you think Anna's been distant?"

"I haven't the faintest idea," he confessed, sliding comfortably into the empty chair across from her desk. "Our first several months of marriage were great. We had lots of…f_un. _ _You know?"_ Elsa shifted uncomfortably and nodded stiffly.

"But with her pregnancy, it got harder, and by the seventh month we just stopped having…_fun _altogether."

_Please make him stop_, she bemoaned silently as she fidgeted with a pencil, gripping it to near-breaking.

"But I was fine with it, really," he swore, mistaking her reticence as a silent condemnation of his character. "It's just that I figured that we'd be back to _fun_ after the baby was born. But it's already _been_ three months."

Elsa tapped the eraser end of the pencil against the surface of the desk, briefly wondering when she had taken it in her hand. For each instance that the eraser head bounced off the wood, she noticed that it scuffed off some of the wood polish.

"Well? What do you think?"

_I'll have to repolish the surface._

"Elsa, what should I do?"

_How should I know!?_

She cleared her throat and let the pencil drop on the last bounce, watching as it rolled off the desk before she looked up at Kristoff's anxious face, his eyes pleading with her.

"I think…she's just had a baby and she's overwhelmed by it," Elsa replied carefully, but Kristoff shook his head, clearly unconvinced.

"No," he answered gravely. "It's more than that. She doesn't let me _touch_ her."

He buried his face in his hands in deep frustration. Elsa, on the other hand, was dumbstruck.

_She doesn't let him touch her._

And she hadn't for some time. It took her a moment to find her words. "Did you…did you ask her _why_?"

"I've tried," he admitted, dropping his hands way. "But she cuts out on me before I can get the words out." Kristoff balled his hands into fists and slammed them down on his lap before jumping to his feet. He was laughing now, his tone bitter and resigned. Elsa stood as well, her body tensed.

"I'm not really sure what I expected from you," he confessed. "There's really no one I can talk to about this in this castle. _Unless you count Sven_."

She didn't, but this wasn't the time or place to voice her observations.

"But, maybe…if she heard it from you?" Kristoff stared wistfully at the queen, his eyes pleading with her again.

"No."

He wasn't sure he'd heard right, but the definitive reply was painted on her face.

"It's not my place," she clarified firmly before he could ask why. "_You _need to get her to listen. She's stubborn, so you have to be stubborn too."

_Why am I telling him this?_ She wondered, but Elsa saw no point in saying otherwise.

He was smiling again. "You know," he said thoughtfully. "You may not seem like it, but you're actually very easy to talk to. Kinda like a guy."

Elsa frowned, uncertain how construe his praise, but quickly dismissed it, her mind still resonating with one distracting thought.

_She doesn't let him touch her._

~X~

She hadn't meant to look.

Kristoff had insisted on keeping her company for the better part of an hour, playing with a Chinese finger trap, procured from who knows where, while Elsa finished reading through her weekly reports. He seemed to be in better spirits and she had hoped that she could finally detach herself from his company.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a brunch," she announced as she flipped over the pages of her final report back to its first page. "I have a meeting at one, so I'll need to get ready."

Kristoff looked up as Elsa rose to her feet.

"I'll join you," he replied, pulling too hard on the finger trap and breaking it in two. "I could use a snack." He hadn't noticed the tight smile that formed her lips as he followed her out the study.

They had cut through the Minstrel's Gallery and the Solarium when Kristoff paused and inhaled sharply.

"That's so hot," he mumbled under his breath.

Elsa stopped and looked back at Kristoff whose gaze was directed toward one of the sitting rooms.

That's when she saw it.

Anna was seated in an armchair holding Elsie and gently cradling her little head as the infant suckled from her breast through the unbuttoned opening in her blouse. Elsa turned away and Kristoff quickly realized just how depraved he must have sounded.

"I meant that it's just such a _beautiful_…and _natural_…and _maternal_ thing."

Elsa gave him a pointed look and glanced briefly toward Anna before she walked away.

"I'll just catch you later," Kristoff called after her.

She waved back silently without stopping or turning, afraid to give away any indication of the bright blush that had tinted her ears and was making its way across her cheeks.

~X~

Elsa hated brassieres. Almost as much as she hated corsets.

She preferred the silky comfort of camisoles and begrudgingly relented whenever she had to wear otherwise. But there was no getting around it. The dress that was splayed over her bed fitted best with a brassiere, and it was nice enough dress, certainly a step up from her long-sleeved conservative gowns. It was fashioned in purple silk dupion with pearl-edged double sleeved flounce in silk and ivory lace. Regrettably, it maintained a high collar and a long row of intricate buttons to close up the back.

_So many buttons_.

Even the brassier had buttons.

She stripped out of the last of her garments and discarded them onto the chair, piled on top of the outfit she had just removed. Her nakedness didn't bother her in the slightest; she felt light and unrestrained, and rather enjoyed the cool tinge of air that kissed her skin.

Elsa had just stepped into a new pair of panties and secured them to her hips when she heard a soft tapping upon her chamber door. It was too early for the chambermaid to tidy up, especially in her state of undress.

"I'm still changing," she called out. "Please come back in an hour."

She listened for a reply but there was only silence, and just when she thought the maid had gone, she heard the tapping again.

"Come back later," the queen commanded even louder, growing increasingly annoyed. "I'm not—"

And just then, stopping her in mid-sentence, the door swung open, and a rosy cheeked Anna pushed her way in, nearly stumbling as her eyes fell over Elsa's mostly naked body. Still in a state of shock, Elsa had been slow to react, and it took her the better part of five seconds to realize just how compromised she was. Burning with embarrassment, she swiped the discarded camisole from the chair and held it over her bared chest.

"Anna, the door!"

The princess nodded, slowly sealing the door behind her, unable to pull her gaze away from Elsa's lithesome body. Even as tense as she was, the queen's physique was delicate and graceful, her slender proportions accentuated by the supple curves of her hips and the round firmness of her breasts. It had only been seconds, but Anna had more than glimpsed them, she had etched them into memory. Instinctively, she flexed and curled her hands, recalling the girth of those breasts enclosed by her fingers, the sensation imprinted into the muscle memory of her hands.

"Didn't you hear me?" Elsa implored, unaware of just how poorly that camisole had managed to conceal her. She had only moved her hand slightly, but the silk garment had slipped off the curves of her chest, covering nothing more than the shadowy valley between.

"You said, 'come in,'" Anna insisted, fidgeting with the soft tips of her braids, her gaze torn.

"No, I didn't. I—"

And there it was again, that look of utter embarrassment as Elsa realized that her efforts at modesty had been completely in vain. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her back to Anna.

"You really should go."

_Should go._

The princesses spied the dress and the blue lace brassiere that were laid out on the bed, noting the number of fine buttons that studded up the back of the gown.

"I could help," she offered demurely.

_"Anna."_

_Anna._

The soft throaty whine in Elsa's voice had been no more than a manifestation of her exasperation with the stubborn princess, but to Anna it sounded a lot like the needy plea her one-time lover had repeated numerous times in the course of that one night. She mentally berated herself, willing herself to forget.

"Elsa?"

"You can help," she finally replied, unable to will herself to turn around.

The queen tensed as she heard Anna's soft approach and felt her presence behind her. After several beats, the princess touched her shoulder, and the queen struggled to swallow the knot that was forming in her throat.

"Um, Elsa?"

"Hmm?"

"Your bra."

The queen finally turned around, clutching her arms around her chest even tighter.

"Did, did you need help with that, too?" Anna fought down the warm glow she felt growing on her face.

"I got that," Elsa mumbled, turning around once again as she swiped the brassier and bashfully put it on. She reached back to fasten the buttons but her nerves were on edge and her fingers felt like thumbs.

"Here, let me," her sister offered, pushing aside the queen's clumsy hands and easily fastening the brassiere in place. But she didn't stop there. To Elsa's mounting mortification, Anna reached her arms around her chest, slipping her thumbs just under the fabric, and gently running her fingers along the elastic edge of the brassiere from front to back, her hands tenderly grazing her ticklish skin. The queen shuttered and choked back a moan.

"What are you doing?" she rasped.

"Just straightening the elastic band," Anna replied unconvincingly.

"You're supposed to do that," she insisted when her sister didn't respond.

"Okay, now the dress," she instructed.

Elsa grabbed the garb and slipped it over her head, adjusting it in place and smoothing it down with her hands while Anna began on the buttons. There were roughly fifty of them that spanned from the collar down to just south of her backside.

She could feel Anna slowly work her way up the buttons, her warm fingers grazing her back along the opening. A warm glow began to form in her lower abdomen as her mind became increasingly aware of those fingers. Her nerve endings were pulsing and the warm glow resonating with longing. She needed to make it stop.

"Where's little Elsie?" Elsa finally asked, her voice slightly strained as she broke the silence that that fallen over them.

"Kristoff has her."

_Kristoff._

"Oh."

Silence again. She searched her thoughts for something to say. _Anything, just say anything_. But the fingers that Anna worked along her back were much too distracting.

"I actually stopped by to see you for a reason," Anna interjected softly, before Elsa lost herself to the pleasing hum that was riding up her spine.

"Yes?"

"Kristoff and I are going horseback riding up the east Fjord Mountains after Elsie's midafternoon nap."

"Want me to look after her?" They had the nursemaid for that, but Anna knew how much her older sister enjoyed looking after the baby. It secretly bothered the princess to think that Elsa adored little Elsie more.

"Actually, we were wondering if you wanted to join us."

_Yes, go. Be the third wheel._

"I'm sorry, Anna, but I can't. My meeting's probably going to run pretty late."

"We'll wait, there's no rush," her voice was noticeably lower and it stunned Elsa when she felt Anna's hands slid down her back and along her sides, resting them on her hips.

"I really want you to come," the younger girl murmured, her breath was hot on Elsa's back as she pressed up against her.

Elsa's breathing grew labored and the ache in her pelvis swelled as the hands on her hips squeezed and kneaded, slowly making their way to her abdomen. She closed her eyes and gave into the desire to touch her back, clasping her hands over Anna's and entwining their fingers.

Then her lips were on her neck, slowly kissing down Elsa's back, inciting her to whimper and ache needfully as Anna's name hung on her lips.

"_She doesn't let me touch her._"

Her eyes snapped open and she pulled away, her heart suddenly sick with guilt. She turned to face Anna, but the princess had already turned away, desperate to conceal the lust that had overtaken her the moment she had touched Elsa.

"I should go," Anna said as she cleared her throat, already making her way to the door.

The queen nodded, unable to make a sound.

When the door closed behind the princess, Elsa dropped unceremoniously onto her bed and buried her face in the pillow. The council meeting started in a quarter hour. It would take her ten minutes to compose herself and another twenty minutes to finish fastening the buttons.

~X~

Very little of the council's agendas had registered with the queen. She vaguely recalled something about a visiting Persian—_or was it a Persian rug?_—being gifted to the newly crowned queen of Andalasia. As it happened, the first hour went on this, her distracted mind unable to make sense of the bits of information that merged to form complete and utter nonsense. It wasn't until the last item that she managed to give proper focus and agreed to divvy additional funds for the expansion of commercial fishing and exports.

"Well then, that completes today's agenda. If there's nothing else, we'll adj—"

"Actually, there is one more thing, Your Majesty," the Major Archbishop interjected, speaking for the first time since the start of the session. He looked uncomfortable as he approached the queen, and Elsa realized that all the council members wore similarly disquieted expressions.

"You may proceed."

The Major Archbishop cleared his throat, exchanging a glance with the lead state councilman before he began.

"There has been some talk, Your Majesty," he hesitated and took a deep breath. "It's mostly been circulating within the kingdom, but it's starting to spread beyond our kingdom's walls."

"What is it?" She asked, folding her arms, hiding the small tremble in her hands.

"There's no easy way to say this. It's just that for a ruler to be unmarried, especially for a woman, well, there's really been no precedent for a situation such as yours. The unexpected passing of your parents and Your Majesty being thrust so young into the throne, we're all treading new ground here."

Elsa nodded, unclear as to what to make of his exposition.

"And with so many changes and uncertainties, the subjects of this kingdom have begun making their own conjectures," the Major Archbishop paused briefly. "They've started calling you the _The Virgin Queen_, ma'am."

_Well, that one's new._

"It doesn't strike me as any worse than The Snow Queen, and I know many of you have used that title to address me behind closed doors," Elsa replied, confounded by the Major Archbishop and the council's severity over something so seemingly trifle.

The men shifted uncomfortably and the Major Archbishop fidgeted with his robe.

"It's more about why they're saying it. There's been talk that you have been refusing offers of marriage because you, well, because it gives you greater freedom to pursue non-exclusive romantic entanglements."

Elsa sank back into her chair, her eyes wide in disbelief. There was a modicum of relief, but that was quickly displaced with apprehension over any potential political ramifications.

"But that's not all, Your Majesty," the Bishop continued.

"There's more?" She exclaimed, unable to mask the incredulity in her voice.

"It has to do with the child."

_Little Elsie?_

"Her strong likeness to you has spurred many rumors."

"And just what are they saying?" She asked, her voice as cold as the Snow Queen she aspired to be.

"Many are questioning her parentage, saying that she is your child, and not Princess Anna's. There are rumors circulating that the princess's marriage is a ruse to help cover for your indiscretions."

~X~

Had she been the Elsa of two years ago, she probably would have frozen over the fjord. Again. It took all her control to keep the ice in, and even then, the council chambers had dropped a good thirty degrees. The councilmen and the Major Bishop had held their breath in fear.

She wanted to check up on Elsie, but didn't trust herself to stay in the castle for long. Making haste, she stopped briefly in her quarters, threw off her gown, and slipped into a pair of riding breeches and a white shirt. She was so driven by ire that she barely felt the strain on her legs as she ran in the direction of the stables, small patches of frost forming on the ground where she stepped.

"Anna? Kristoff?"

Two of the Fjord horses were missing, including a set of saddles.

_It's just as well,_ she figured, remembering her encounter with Anna in her room, still unable to make sense of it.

She took Shelby, a four year old white mare with a blonde mane, riding her hard up the steep mountain climb, pushing her as far as she was willing to go as Elsa clung tightly to the reigns. Shelby didn't seem to mind, she just pushed harder.

They were about halfway up the climb when the skies began to darken, rain clouds quickly gathering over the fjord. Once they got to a small clearing, Elsa drew the horse into a short trot and brought her to a stop.

"I think it's time to head back," she told Shelby. The horse snorted and turned her ears in Elsa's direction as she spoke.

They hadn't gone far when the rain came pouring down over them in thick, heavy drops. By the time they reached the mountain floor, Elsa was soaked to the skin, her bangs clumped and dripping over her face. It surprised her, how much she liked the sensation of the heavy rain on her back as it beat her shirt flush against her skin, briefly reminding her of Anna's softness as she'd pressed behind her.

When they made it back to the stables Elsa dismounted too hastily in her eagerness to feel ground beneath her feet, and lost her grip on the wet pommel, smacking Shelby's rump as she landed hard on her side. The spooked horse jumped back and bolted, scampering across the far end of the pen with the saddled still strapped firmly on.

Elsa didn't bother going after her. Muddied and bruised, she stumbled her way to her feet, and was struck by the ache on her backside and her inner thighs as she walked into the stables. The Queen of Arendelle was anything but graceful as she tried wiping the mud that been caked into her hair.

The two missing Fjord horses and saddles had been returned and Elsa wondered just how long ago Anna and Kristoff had come back from their ride. Up until that point she had largely forgotten about the council meeting and all talk of virgin queens and illegitimate children. She'd even forgotten about Kristoff and his non-existent sex life. The only thing she was never able to shake was Anna.

She filled a bucket full of water, struggling with the water pump, her body exhausted and unaccustomed to manual labor, and poured it into the tin water basin next to the vanity mirror. She mused over her reflection, the mud starting to dry in her bun fashioned hair, and the bangs matted over her eyes.

That's when she heard what sounded like a loud crack. It couldn't have been one of the horses; the sound had come from the direction of the hayloft and Shelby was still outside in the rain.

She crept quietly, her hand extended defensively in front of her as she approached the loft. She grabbed a hold of the latter and listened again. This time she heard a loud bestial grunt accompanied by a decidedly feminine gasp. She froze. The blood drained from her face and her body trembled as realization slowly set in.

Then she heard what sounded like the rustling of clothes and their voices, in loud whispers. They sounded closer than before and she realized that they were preparing to climb back down. Elsa bolted, quickly making her way out the loft and past the horse stalls when she heard Kristoff call her name.

"You just get back?" He shouted. He was grinning stupidly, brushing bits of hay from his hair with his fingers.

Elsa nodded, staring intently at Anna. One look between them and Anna knew that Elsa knew. Even if she'd had never heard them, it was written all over them. Kristoff and his satisfied smirk and ruffled clothes. And Anna. Her shirt worn inside out and her honey blonde hair tangled with bits of hay, and the unmistakable sheen of sweat that coated her skin.

Anna looked away, touching her hair anxiously, feeling ashamed under her sister's scrutiny.

It shouldn't have been a shock to Elsa. They hadn't done anything wrong. They'd already been married for a year. Even if they hadn't been having sex for the past five months, they were doing it like rabbits before. They had a child.

_Then what was it that happened between us?_

"Aw geez, Elsa. What happened to you? You're a mess," Kristoff observed.

"It's nothing," she replied once again assaulted by guilt and angry all the same. "I just slipped. But I need to get cleaned up, so I'll see you guys inside."

Elsa hobbled away before he got a chance say anything else, listening to their footsteps as they left. She made her way back to the basin of water and washed the dirt from her face. Then she removed several pins from her hair, watching her reflection as her long French braid fell to her shoulder, spattering more mud onto her shirt.

The queen slumped over the tin basin and stared long and hard at her distorted reflection in the dirty water. And then, with a scream, she struck the basin and sent it flying, the water crystalizing in midair before it struck the ground and shattered.

~X~

Anna gently bounced Elsie as she made her way through the darkened castle, her pajama top and bottoms barely providing her with any warmth. She regretted not grabbing a robe on her way out the door, and as much as she wanted to return for one, she didn't want to deal with Kristoff in case he woke.

She was mad at him. And herself.

Elsa hadn't made eye contact with her in four days. And Anna couldn't decide if it that was worse than being ignored altogether. She had never felt so small.

More than anyone, she wanted to blame Kristoff. They had made it back to the stables shortly before the rain began to pour down and he'd suggested that they wait until the rain let up before they went back to the castle.

_ And what a better place to wait than the hayloft, right?_

She'd been reluctant when he tried to kiss her, pushing him away. Avoiding him was a lot harder when he was blocking her only way out.

_"Come on, Anna. It's been months. What's changed?"_

_ "Nothing," she'd insisted. "I'm just really tired, Kristoff."_

_ "You say that, but it feels like it's more. I miss you."_

_ He'd reached for her, pressing one hand on her cheek and the other on the small of her back, and pressed a wet kiss on her mouth. But Anna had stiffened, cringing as his stubble rubbed her face like sandpaper. He coaxed her down onto a pile of hay, easing his clothed body on hers, motioning his hips against hers in steady beats. She didn't want to respond, but her body quickly remembered the heat of Elsa's body flush against hers and the ache of their unsatisfied lust. Anna clung to him and moaned, hating how much she wished it was Elsa pressed between her legs._

Like that night.

But it wasn't Elsa. And that night remained unspoken between them, full of the many things they could never say.

Not that she hadn't been tempted. She must've tried a half a dozen times, stopping herself after a short glance at Elsa's unaffected repose. Her sister was the picture of perfection; not a stray hair out of place, nor a crinkle on her brow, and certainly no indication that she felt the consequences of those unbridled passions in the dark. But as reserved as Elsa appeared to be, Anna couldn't help but notice that there was an unmistakable awkwardness whenever they touched, even in something as small and innocuous as the feathery brush of their hands.

_If only she hadn't been there._

It mortified her to think that Elsa had heard them. Anna had hoped she hadn't, but the look on her sister's face clearly said otherwise. There had been nothing accusing in her eyes, Elsa was not so petty, but there had been a flicker of something lost.

Anna filed it away with all the other things left unsaid between them.

She bit her lip as she turned the corner and tucked little Elsie's cold hands inside her blanket. The hallway was darker than she remembered. For nineteen years she had lived on this side of the castle, fourteen of which she'd been just across the hall from Elsa. But now she slept in her parents' old room with a man who breathed too loudly in his sleep and left crumbs on the bed.

She hadn't realized how much she missed this corridor and her old room…or the snowflake door that never seemed to open.

A soft light glowed underneath that very door and Anna sought the will to move forward.

Okay, s_he's still up._

She raised her free hand hesitantly as she approached the door, a part of her having hoped that Elsa had been asleep after all. Anna took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

_All I gotta do is knock, right?_

* * *

_**A/N:** So circumstances have kept me from updating, primarily school and accidentally deleting and having to rewrite...I don't have chapter 3 completed yet, but if you want, feel free to preview the next chapter in progress at deviantart, just follow the link on my profile.  
_


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